Scottish Executive

Architecture

Robert Brown (Glasgow) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to support and encourage interest by young people in the built environment and Scotland’s architectural heritage.

Ms Patricia Ferguson: The policy on architecture contains a commitment to provide guidance to schools on the potential of information relating to architecture and the built environment to inform subject areas and support National Priorities for education.

  Guidance has been issued to all Scottish schools in partnership with Learning and Teaching Scotland.

  A website, www.buildingconnections.co.uk has been developed with The Lighthouse as a major resource for schoolchildren on the built environment which forms part of the National Grid for Learning. The site provides practical tools for teachers to download and practical studies for pupils and is one of the most comprehensive sources of information for schools on architecture and the built environment in Europe. Historic Scotland and the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland are among the contributors to this resource.

  An annual £300,000 grant from the Executive to The Lighthouse has funded a national programme of exhibitions and events in support of policy on architecture objectives. A central part of the programme developed by The Lighthouse to date has been three national touring exhibitions which are complemented by educational programmes.

  The Lighthouse has also developed a number of education projects and resources for young people.

  Historic Scotland has a number of initiatives which contribute to supporting and encouraging the interests of young people in Scotland’s built environment. These include:

  the free educational visits scheme at Historic Scotland properties which attracts 66,000 school visits per year;

  the provision of children’s trails and displays at some of their larger sites;

  a range of events to encourage participation by young people including storytelling, re-enactments and jousting;

  the provision of five education officers across Scotland who work closely with schools and youth groups on programmes for young people to learn about the built environment;

  working closely with community groups, local councils and other agencies to involve young people in the appreciation of the historic environment;

  the provision of online resources for teachers and young people to promote interest in the historic environment, and

  the provision of a range of activities for young people which supports national campaigns such as the Big Draw, Scottish Archaeology Month and the Construction Industry Training Board’s National Construction Week.

Central Heating Programme

Mr John Home Robertson (East Lothian) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-12171 by Johann Lamont on 23 November 2004, in which local authority areas the seven houses which were subject to refusals of consent from landlords for the installation of central heating systems are located and whether it will give the identities of the landlords concerned.

Johann Lamont: I have asked Angiolina Foster, the Chief Executive of Communities Scotland to respond. Her response is as follows:

  The local authority areas where landlords refused their consent to install central heating systems, under the Scottish Executive’s central heating programme, are shown in the table.

  

Local Authority Area
Number of Refusals


City of Edinburgh Council
1


Dumfries and Galloway Council
1


Glasgow City Council
2


Perth and Kinross Council
1


West Dunbartonshire Council
2



  There are no plans, at present, to name landlords who refuse their consent for the installation of central heating systems under the programme.

Central Heating Programme

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-12173 by Mr Andy Kerr on 23 November 2004, what research projects are being carried out to monitor and evaluate the central heating installation programme; when these projects will report, and whether their reports will be made public.

Malcolm Chisholm: We have published annual reports for the central heating programme and warm deal for 2001-02 and 2002-03, copies of which are available in the Parliament’s Reference Centre (Bib. numbers 26024 and 34624). The annual report for 2003-04 is due to be published in 2005.

  We have commissioned a three-year research project to evaluate the impact of the central heating programme on fuel poverty. The first year report was published on 2 August 2004 on the Scottish Executive website and can be found at http://www.scotland.gov.uk/library5/social/aichp-00.asp The Research Findings from that report were published the same day and can be found at http://www.scotland.gov.uk/cru/resfinds/drf187-00.asp. The second year report will be available in 2005.

  We have commissioned a three-year research project to evaluate the impact of the central heating programme on health. This research is due to be finished in 2006 and will be published.

Central Heating Programme

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will consider extending the central heating installation programme to people who are currently ineligible but have a partial or faulty central heating system where it can be demonstrated that there is risk of harm to the occupants.

Malcolm Chisholm: If a central heating system is at risk of harm to the occupants, it should be condemned by a suitably qualified engineer. If it has been condemned, it has to be determined if the central heating system can be repaired. Only if the central heating system is irreparable can the occupants be considered for the central heating programme. The only exception to this is for the over 80s in the private sector who can have their central heating system upgraded or replaced if they have a partial or inefficient system.

Child Care

Dr Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to introduce compulsory qualifications for childminders.

Euan Robson: The Scottish Executive will consider whether and, if so, how, through their registration with the Care Commission, to require childminders to be qualified or working towards a qualification. Other early education and child care workers will require to do so under the Scottish Social Services Council qualification and regulatory framework.

  As part of the National Review of Early Years and Childcare Workforce, we will carry out a consultation on qualifications and training for childminders. The review will consider how qualifications and training that are appropriate for childminders can help deliver high quality childcare. The Scottish Executive regularly discusses a range of issues including qualifications and training with the Scottish Childminding Association (SCMA) and we are working with SCMA as part of the review’s work and consultation with childminders.

  The review will report to ministers in the summer of 2005. We will consider qualification requirements for childminders once the review has reported.

Child Care

Dr Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with the Scottish Childminding Association regarding qualifications for childminders.

Euan Robson: I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-12693, on 14 December 2004. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at:

  http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.

Crime

Mr Brian Monteith (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what the average sentence has been for a first offender convicted of (a) non-sexual crimes of violence, (b) serious assault, (c) robbery, (d) crimes of indecency, (e) rape, (f) attempted rape, (g) indecent assault, (h) crimes of dishonesty, (i) housebreaking, (j) shoplifting, (k) fraud, (l) fire-raising, (m) vandalism, (n) handling an offensive weapon, (o) drugs, (p) petty assault, (q) breach of the peace and (r) drink driving, in each of the last five years.

Cathy Jamieson: The available information is given in the table.

  Persons with No Previous Convictions1 with a Charge Proved for Selected Offences, by Type of Sentence, 1998-2002

  

Type of Offence2
Total Number with a Charge Proved =100%
% Sentenced to:
Average Length of Custodial Sentence Days5


Custody
Community Sentence
Monetary
Other


Non-Sexual Crimes of Violence
 


1998
497
30
37
22
11
860


1999
547
29
35
23
13
939


2000
467
31
37
18
14
976


2001
493
28
41
18
12
945


20023
571
27
40
23
10
865


Serious Assault
 


1998
281
24
43
27
6
862


1999
324
24
38
29
8
642


2000
270
28
40
26
6
717


2001
296
25
45
23
6
647


20023
365
24
41
29
5
659


Robbery
 


1998
97
36
35
16
12
795


1999
98
39
42
11
8
851


2000
88
39
43
8
10
829


2001
80
39
35
11
15
899


20023
99
36
46
10
7
865


Crimes of Indecency
 


1998
363
36
30
22
11
1,198


1999
314
39
27
23
11
1,168


2000
254
39
31
21
9
1,145


2001
307
35
36
21
8
1,349


20023
254
35
39
18
9
1,218


Rape
 
 
 
 
 
 


1998
12
83
8
8
-
2,212


1999
14
93
-
-
7
2,500


2000
8
75
25
-
-
2,861


2001
20
70
20
-
10
2,622


20023
13
92
8
-
-
2,225


Attempted Rape
 


1998
12
75
25
-
-
1,786


1999
12
75
17
-
8
866


2000
7
86
14
-
-
1,400


2001
13
85
8
-
8
1,677


20023
4
50
25
-
25
2,192


Indecent assault
 
 
 
 
 
 


1998
48
15
52
23
10
1,065


1999
43
44
26
26
5
975


2000
36
33
31
19
17
944


2001
30
13
40
37
10
867


20023
35
29
29
31
11
1,029


Crimes of Dishonesty
 


1998
4,636
4
16
59
21
439


1999
3,866
5
17
56
22
319


2000
3,153
3
15
61
20
345


2001
3,161
5
16
60
19
253


20023
2,924
4
17
56
23
254


House Breaking
 


1998
395
8
31
43
18
226


1999
330
5
32
46
17
137


2000
279
10
23
51
16
228


2001
261
10
29
46
16
186


20023
257
7
31
38
25
206


Shoplifting
 


1998
842
1
6
61
32
65


1999
731
2
7
56
35
74


2000
620
1
8
64
27
73


2001
608
2
6
63
28
84


20023
553
2
7
59
31
81


Fraud
 


1998
813
5
10
74
11
1,064


1999
650
6
13
70
10
732


2000
565
4
12
72
12
585


2001
562
5
12
72
11
377


20023
577
3
11
70
16
482


Fire-raising
 


1998
45
22
38
22
18
599


1999
38
3
34
34
29
731


2000
29
21
24
41
14
426


2001
36
8
44
42
6
253


20023
42
12
40
21
26
383


Vandalism
 


1998
1,437
0
5
77
18
103


1999
1,299
0
4
76
20
67


2000
1,197
1
4
79
16
159


2001
1,180
1
5
79
15
52


20023
1,214
1
6
76
17
98


Handling an Offensive Weapon
 


1998
555
4
22
52
22
110


1999
564
4
20
51
24
77


2000
587
4
26
48
22
95


2001
698
3
24
49
23
91


20023
671
3
23
52
22
93


Drugs
 


1998
1,726
8
13
71
9
700


1999
1,442
8
13
68
10
990


2000
1,227
8
11
72
9
916


2001
1,311
9
10
71
11
911


20023
1,260
6
12
70
12
1,020


Common Assault
 


1998
3,937
2
8
63
27
273


1999
3,561
1
10
61
28
328


2000
3,271
2
11
60
27
193


2001
3,470
2
10
62
26
198


20023
3,596
2
11
61
27
194


Breach of the Peace
 


1998
3,916
1
3
63
33
73


1999
3,184
1
3
61
35
90


2000
2,884
1
3
65
32
124


2001
3,196
1
4
65
30
111


20023
3,221
1
3
63
33
237


Drink Driving4
 


1998
7,287
2
4
93
1
121


1999
6,899
2
5
92
1
134


2000
6,691
2
6
91
1
132


2001
6,792
2
6
91
1
116


20023
8,856
3
6
91
1
114



  Notes:

  1. No convictions in Scotland since the start of 1989 for a crime, common assault, breach of the peace, racially aggravated conduct or harassment, firearms offences or social security offences.

  2. Where main offence.

  3. Figures may be underestimates due to time taken to record details of some court proceedings.

  4. First offenders cannot be separately identified from other offenders for this offence; the figures therefore relate to all persons convicted of this offence.

  5. Excludes life sentences and sentence length not known.

Energy

Shiona Baird (North East Scotland) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive how much carbon is emitted per annum as a result of domestic energy use.

Ross Finnie: The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) has published data on carbon dioxide emissions by final user, which includes an estimate for aggregate emissions attributable to the domestic sector, for the United Kingdom. This data is available on the Defra website at www.defra.gov.uk/environment/statistics/globatmos/kf/gakf07.htm .

  No separate estimate is available for emissions attributable to domestic energy use in Scotland.

Energy

Shiona Baird (North East Scotland) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive how much energy the domestic sector consumes per annum.

Mr Jim Wallace: Figures for gas and electricity consumed by domestic customers are given in the following table (in terawatt hours).

  

Year 
2001
2002


Gas consumed by domestic customers 
34.4
33.8


Electricity consumed
34.0
34.7



  These figures are estimates calculated by the Department of Trade and Industry and published in "Energy Trends" December 2003, see weblink:

  http://www.scotland.gov.uk/library5/environment/isds04-15.asp.

Energy Efficiency

Ms Rosemary Byrne (South of Scotland) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to introduce energy efficiency standards for electrical appliances and what funds will be allocated for this purpose.

Mr Jim Wallace: Energy efficiency standards for electrical appliances is a matter reserved to UK Government. The Scottish Executive supports measures being taken by the UK Government to pursue improvement in energy efficiency of appliances through a combination of product information, minimum standards and promotion of best practice.

European Union

Brian Adam (Aberdeen North) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will make representations to Her Majesty’s Government with a view to ensuring that the treaty establishing a constitution for Europe is translated into Gaelic and Scots, as set out in Article IV-448, paragraph 2 of the treaty.

Peter Peacock: The translation of the European Union Constitutional Treaty is a decision for the UK Government. Earlier this year the Prime Minister made a commitment to produce a Layperson’s Guide to the Treaty in order to inform the public in advance of a referendum. The Scottish Executive has already recommended to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office that this guide should be translated into Gaelic.

Health Service (Miscellaneous Provisions) Scotland Bill

Mr Stewart Maxwell (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what benefits would be gained by introducing a bill on organ retention and transplantation separately from the Health Service (Miscellaneous Provisions) Scotland Bill.

Mr Andy Kerr: The decision to have a separate bill on these subjects was a direct response to concerns expressed by the Parliament and the Health and Community Care Committee about the size and complexity of the proposed Miscellaneous Provisions Bill. Making these important and sensitive issues the subject of a dedicated Bill gives Parliament and the Committee the proper time to focus on them. This reflects the approach adopted at Westminster in the Human Tissue Act there, and is also in line with the recommendations of the Review Group on Retention of Organs at Post-Mortem and the Scottish Transplant Group. I am sure we will have the best possible provisions as a result of our decision on the way this legislation should be handled.

Justice

Mr John Home Robertson (East Lothian) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many prosecutions there have been against retailers for selling knives to underage customers.

Cathy Jamieson: In the period 1993-2002, the latest ten-year period for which data are available, two persons were proceeded against for an offence under section 141A of the Criminal Justice Act 1998. Both of these were in 2002.

Meat Industry

Richard Lochhead (North East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps have been taken to ensure that all the conditions that will allow the reopening of export markets for the beef industry are met should the closure of the Over Thirty Month Scheme be announced, with particular reference to each of any relevant shortcomings highlighted in the European Commission’s Food and Veterinary Office’s executive summary of Final Report of a Mission Carried Out in the United Kingdom (Great Britain & Northern Ireland) from 26 April to 7 May 2004 concerning a General Review as regards Protective Measures Against Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy .

Ross Finnie: The Scottish Executive accept the report of the EU Food and Veterinary Office Mission on BSE controls, which visited Scotland in May this year. The Executive is, in conjunction with other UK Departments, making good progress towards addressing the findings of the mission’s report. The report also acknowledged that progress had been made since previous missions had reported and that a number of further improvements were already in hand.

Mental Health

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what funding NHS Argyll and Clyde has allocated for the provision of community mental health teams in the Lomond area and when such funding was allocated.

Mr Andy Kerr: I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-12408, answered on 6 December 2004. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search .

National Lottery

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what role and powers it has in respect of the (a) National Lottery, (b) New Opportunities Fund and (c) Community Fund; what discussions it has had with the UK Government regarding possible legislation to change the structure and organisation of the National Lottery, and whether the Scottish Parliament will be consulted on any such changes and, if so, how that consultation will be achieved.

Ms Patricia Ferguson: Although the National Lottery is reserved to Westminster, and the policy lead lies with the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, there is extensive executive devolution of the National Lottery in Scotland.

  There are three Scottish lottery distributors – the Scottish Arts Council, Scottish Screen and Sportscotland – with Scottish ministers appointing these bodies, issuing lottery policy directions, approving lottery strategic plans, and laying their lottery annual report and accounts before Westminster and the Scottish Parliament.

  Scottish ministers are consulted on the appointment of the Scottish member of the Heritage Lottery Fund; indeed the Scottish Executive is running the current exercise to appoint a new Scottish member on behalf of the Department for Culture, Media and Sport. The Heritage Lottery Fund’s Scottish Committee determines awards in Scotland up to £2 million, with larger awards being determined by the UK board.

  The Big Lottery Fund is a merger of the New Opportunities Fund and Community Fund and is governed by a co-terminous board which has three Scottish members who were appointed in consultation with Scottish ministers. The Scottish Executive ran an appointments exercise for the third Scottish member earlier this year.

  Scottish ministers are consulted on policy directions to the UK lottery distributors and have the power to issue Directions to the New Opportunities Fund on its Scotland-only programmes.

  The UK Government has agreed that the devolved administrations should have more influence in setting priorities for the National Lottery and in programme development, and that more decision-making should be devolved to the home countries unless there is a clear need for a UK approach. The Department for Culture, Media and Sport Bill has proposed a Lottery Bill which, among other provisions, would provide new functions and powers for the Scottish ministers in relation to the Big Lottery Fund. Under the Lottery Bill, Scottish ministers’ agreement would be required to the appointment of a Scottish member to the UK board and to the appointment of a Scottish Committee. Scottish ministers would issue policy directions to the fund in relation to all "devolved expenditure" in Scotland. Scottish ministers would receive the annual accounts of the fund which will enable them to be provided to the Scottish Parliament. Within a UK framework, the Lottery Bill would therefore give Scottish ministers functions and powers in respect of the key strategic controls of the Big Lottery Fund’s Scottish operations.

  The Scottish Parliament will be asked, by means of a Sewel Motion, to agree that the provisions in the National Lottery Bill that relate to the executive competence of the Scottish Ministers should be considered by the UK Parliament.

Public Private Partnerships

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the spread was of interest rates applied to the loan funding component of PFI/PPP contracts entered into by it or its agencies in each of the last three financial years.

Mr Tom McCabe: The only PPP contract which the Executive or its agencies has entered into in the last three financial years is the M77/Glasgow Southern Orbital (GSO) project which is funded using a bond. Information on the bond taken out by the PPP consortium, Connect M77/GSO plc, is publicly available on the UK official list which can be accessed through the Financial Services Authority’s website on www.fsa.gov.uk/ukla .

Renewable Energy

Richard Lochhead (North East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what level of European funding has been secured for renewable energy projects in (a) each of the last three years and (b) this year.

Allan Wilson: European Structural Funds awards with a total value of £1,406,358 have been made to renewable energy projects within the current programming period (2000–06).

  Awards for each of the years are:

  

2000
£259,920


2001
£327,000


2002
£0


2003
£411,013


2004
£408,425



  In addition, European Funding of €6 million (approximately £4.2 million) was secured from the European Commission for the Talisman "Downvind" (Distant Offshore Windfarms with No Visual Impact in Deepwater) project under the Sixth Framework Research and Technology Development Programme in May 2004.

Scottish Executive Expenditure

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the cost was to each of its departments of (a) ministerial cars and drivers, (b) taxis, (c) rail travel, (d) the use of helicopters, (e) airline tickets and (f) chartered aeroplanes in each year since 1999.

Mr Tom McCabe: The information requested for taxis, rail travel and airline tickets is set out in the following tables. Restructuring of departments in the Scottish Executive in the period between 1999 and 2004 affects some of the year on year comparisons. Information about the use of helicopters and chartered aeroplanes could only be disaggregated from other data available on air travel at disproportionate cost.

  

1 April 1999 to 31 March 2000
Taxis
Rail Travel
Airline Tickets


Departments
£000’s
£000’s
£000’s


Change and Corporate Services
33
70
127


Finance and Central Services Department
64
86
240


Education Department
19
42
49


Development Department
18
58
122


Enterprise and Lifelong Learning Department
12
62
187


Health Department
18
63
143


Justice Department
21
27
112


Environmental and Rural Affairs Department
23
117
319



  

1 April 2000 to 31 March 2001
Taxis
Rail Travel
Airline Tickets


Departments
£000’s
£000’s
£000’s


Change and Corporate Services
31
65
126


Finance and Central Services Department
59
75
280


Education Department
28
57
128


Development Department
16
56
106


Enterprise and Lifelong Learning Department
9
55
176


Health Department
24
61
157


Justice Department
19
21
63


Environmental and Rural Affairs Department
23
79
383



  

1 April 2001 to 31 March 2002
Taxis
Rail Travel
Airline Tickets


Departments
£000’s
£000’s
£000’s


Change and Corporate Services
16
58
133


Finance and Central Services Department
115
93
264


Education Department
18
51
112


Development Department
11
72
118


Enterprise and Lifelong Learning Department
9
57
158


Health Department
17
75
178


Justice Department
12
31
107


Environmental and Rural Affairs Department
16
96
369



  

1 April 2002 to 31 March 2003
Taxis
Rail Travel
Airline Tickets


Departments
£000’s
£000’s
£000’s


Change and Corporate Services
33
89
166


Finance and Central Services Department
50
115
265


Education Department
25
75
140


Development Department
19
98
137


Enterprise and Lifelong Learning Department
15
68
126


Health Department
28
122
244


Justice Department
9
51
146


Environmental and Rural Affairs Department
30
112
421



  

1 April 2003 to 31 March 2004
Taxis
Rail Travel
Airline Tickets


Departments
£000s
£000s
£000s


Change and Corporate Services
65
81
169


Finance and Central Services Department
61
109
244


Education Department
44
82
139


Development Department
34
134
137


Enterprise and Lifelong Learning Department
25
117
210


Health Department
46
112
186


Justice Department
15
68
143


Environmental and Rural Affairs Department
48
121
441



  The Scottish Executive does not hold a breakdown of the cost of ministerial cars and drivers (Government Car Service (Scotland)) by each of its departments. Government Car Service (Scotland) (GCS) annual expenditure since 1999, is set out in the following table:

  

Period
Cost £000s


1 April 1999 to 31 March 2000
389


1 April 2000 to 31 March 2001
532


1 April 2001 to 31 March 2002
589


1 April 2002 to 31 March 2003
706


1 April 2003 to 31 March 2004
647



  Notes:

  1. Expenditure includes fuel, service and repairs, staff costs (including Accruing Superannuation Liability Charges (ASLC) and earnings-related national insurance contributions (ERNIC)), and contract hire.

  2. The Government Car Service (Scotland) provides or arranges transport for Scottish ministers, ministers of UK Government departments when in Scotland, senior officials at the Scottish Executive, and visiting dignitaries.

Sustainable Scotland

Shiona Baird (North East Scotland) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive when it will publish the minutes of the most recent meeting of the Cabinet Sub-Committee on Sustainable Scotland.

Ross Finnie: Minutes of Cabinet sub committees are not published. However, a report of the most recent meeting of the Cabinet Sub Committee on Sustainable Scotland which was held on 5 October is available on the Scottish Executive website.

Waste Management

Richard Lochhead (North East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what measures it has taken to help small businesses to (a) access recycling facilities and (b) reduce waste and how it will ensure that sufficient processing capacity is available for the recycling of small businesses’ waste.

Ross Finnie: Under Section 45 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990, local authorities are under a duty to collect commercial waste, when requested to do so. We would encourage local authorities to consider recycling options for this waste. Small businesses can also arrange for their waste to be collected by private or voluntary sector bodies. Recycling is likely to become more attractive as an option, as costs of landfill rise and markets develop for recyclable materials.

  The Scottish Executive has allocated £2 million over two years to a Capital Grants Programme. This programme, which is operated by the Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP) on our behalf, and has just been launched, will provide small grants to businesses to help provide recycling infrastructure. WRAP have also operated capital grants schemes for recycling infrastructure in the organics and aggregates sectors.

  The Executive supports Envirowise and the Business Environment Partnership, including Business Environment Partnership North East, which provide advice to business on resource efficiency and waste minimisation. Advice is also available from private sector companies. The Executive have allocated £11.4 million over the next three years to enhance business resource efficiency services in Scotland and are seeking views from business representatives on how these resources can best be used.